XOUT teen acne treatment Review - #MC #Sponsored

I participated in an Influencer Activation Program on behalf of Influence-Central for X Out. 

I received samples of X Out to facilitate my review and a thank you item for participating. 

All views expressed are the honest opinion of Just Say I Told You So.

One of the biggest challenges of being a teen is acne. Acne is a skin condition that can have huge psychological effects. Now the makers of Proactive have developed a treatment specifically designed for teens... X Out.

Most teens avoid skin care regimens because they are too complex and take up too much time. It's not at all unusual for a teen to begin a routine and then stop, just because it takes too long. But X Out isn't like that. With X Out's Acne Wash-in Treatment, it's simple, one product that can be used 3-ways: 

• All you have to do is wash your face, twice a day. 
• And if you have a specific spot you want to work on, you can dab X Out on that one spot. 
• And if you want a deeper clean, leave it on for 10 minutes. 

I am a true believer that simple is better. The easier something is to do, the more likely we are to do it. And that's especially true for kids + teens!

In addition to the Wash-in Treatment, there are a few other products in the X Out line as well:

1. Spot Corrector
2. Shine Control
3. Daily Body Scrub

My daughter, Niara, hasn't had a huge problem with acne... but she has definitely had bouts of it in the past. As she's gotten older, her skin has become more important to her. So she agreed to give X Out a try...



So there you have it. And as you can see from the before and after pics below... X Out really works!

If your teen, or a teen you know, is challenged by acne, you might want to take X Out for a 30-day spin! Available for purchase on XOut.com.

Be sure to follow X Out on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Purex Crystals Fresh Mountain Breeze: Review & Coupon Giveaway

Purex Crystals is one of the best things that has ever happened to my laundry! Purex recently introduced  Fresh Mountain Breeze and I have to tell you it's "heaven scent!" LOL

This is why I LOVE Purex Crystals:

1. You add them at the beginning of the wash cycle. That means no more balls, liquids, or waiting for the rinse cycle. 
2. It only takes a cap full. A little goes a very long way.
3. The scent lasts for weeks! The freshness lingers in the fabric long after you've folded and put your laundry away. 

It just doesn't get much better than that! Since laundry is something that has to be done, all the time, I want it to be as easy as possible. Purex Crystals makes it easy!

There are also several scents to choose from:

• Fresh Spring Water
• Lavender Blossom - my fave
• Tropical Splash
• Fresh Mountain Breeze - the new kid on the block
• Crystals for Baby

I honestly didn't think I would like any other scent more than I liked the Lavender Blossom; but I have to say that Fresh Mountain Breeze is pretty nice! It's a clean smell, easy on the nose, and very pleasant. When I changed my bed linens, the smell lingered in the air for days. I really liked that!

So have you tried Purex Crystals yet? If not, what on earth are you waiting for???

Giveaway Alert

Win it: I'm giving away a coupon for a #free bottle of Purex Crystals to two lucky readers!

Mandatory Entry: Like the Purex Facebook page. Leave a comment confirming your Facebook name, as well as your email address.

Bonus Entries: (leave a separate comment for each, including your name and email address):
      
 (1) Follow Purex on Twitter
 (1) Follow Just Say I Told You So on Twitter
 (1) Become a Just Say I Told You So Facebook Fan
 (1) Subscribe to Just Say I Told You So via email (right side bar)
 (1) Follow Just Say I Told You So on Pinterest

Two winners will be chosen at random and contacted via email. The winner(s) will have 24 hours to respond or another winner will be selected. This giveaway is not associated with Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. Giveaway ends at 11:59pm PST on 2/13/13.

I received a free bottle of Purex Crystals through Purex Insiders. All views expressed are the honest opinion of Just Say I Told You So.

Soda Stream Review

I'm not much of a soda drinker, but I do fancy sparkling water. Which is why I think that Soda Stream is the best thing since... Soda!

Making your own soda means you control what you put in the soda - it doesn't get more genius than that! It's so simple and easy to use, see for yourself:

Soda Stream offers a wide variety of flavor syrups (including diet options), in addition to the flavor essences (which are my favorite).  They even have Country Time, Crystal Light, and KoolAid flavors! Of course you could also add fruit juices to the carbonated water to create your own unique flavors. That means that the flavor varieties are truly endless!

What most soda drinkers (and non-soda drinkers like myself) will appreciate most is the potential savings. Buying soda and other carbonated beverages can really add up. But if saving money doesn't do it for you, maybe saving the environment will. No more bottles or cans. Soda Stream will help you keep it Green!

http://www.sodastreamusa.com

Soda Stream is sold at most major department stores, as well as Target and Walmart.

Check out Soda Stream's Ms. Fizz blog, become a Facebook fan, and follow on Twitter too!

A free product was received to aid in the facilitation of this review. All views expressed are the honest opinion of Just Say I Told You So.

Review & Giveaway: Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil (Closed)

I saw my very first coconut tree many years ago while on vacation in Jamaica. I was in awe of the beauty of these tropical palms. I also had a chance to try the water, milk, and flesh of coconut - right off the tree. Coconut was already one of my favorite things, but after that trip...I loved it even more.

Despite my up-close and personal experience with coconut in Jamaica, I'd never actually tried coconut oil. My mother raves about the skin and health benefits of coconut oil, so I was curious. When I received a jar of Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil to review, the smell immediately transported me back to the Caribbean!

After perusing the Tropical Tradition website for recipe ideas, I decided to make Hot Roasted Butternut Squash, can you say delicious???  I changed the recipe up a little bit, but the results were divine!

We also had a dinner party for my sister's birthday last week and coconut was the theme ingredient.  We used coconut oil in Coconut Rice, Coconut Cream Spinach, and in Honey Glazed Green Beans.  The entire meal was magical (I didn't think to take a photo, sorry about that).

I could never have imagined that coconut oil could be so very versatile. I have even used it as a skin moisturizer and let me tell you little goes a very long way!

Here are a few fact about Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil:

• USDA Certified Organic
• 100% unrefined
• Made from fresh coconuts (not dried)
• Completely handmade 
• Contains no trans fats
• Contains the full scent and taste of coconut

My favorite thing about Tropical Traditions is that the products are handmade, using coconut oil making methods that have been passed down for generations. This is a product that I will be keeping in my pantry from now on.

Buy it:
You can purchase several different varieties of coconut oil on the Tropical Tradition website.

Win it:
*Required* Subscribe to the Tropical Traditions newsletter (click here) and then leave me a comment with your name and email address.

Bonus entries (leave a separate comment for each including your name and email address):
  (1) Follow Tropical Traditions on twitter @troptraditions
  (1) Like Tropical Traditions on Facebook
  (1) Follow Tropical Traditions on Pinterest
  (1) Follow Just Say I Told You So on Twitter
  (1) Like Just Say I Told You So on Facebook
  (1) Follow Just Say I Told You So on Pinterest
  
This giveaway is open to US Residents only. The winner will be selected by random.org. Winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond (or another winner will be selected). Giveaway ends at 11:59PST on May 19, 2012.

Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. The views expressed are the opinion of Just Say I Told You So.

Nature's Hand Granola Review

The older I get the more I pay attention to my diet. Whole grains are an essential part of my daily routine. I can't think of a more delicious way to include whole grains in my diet than granola.

Nature's Hand Granola is made from a family recipe that is over 40 years old! This granola is packed with crunchy oats, sunflower and sesame seeds, and plenty of natural goodness. Nature's Hand is low in sugar and has no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.  This is by far one of the best granola I've ever tasted!

I tried it on yogurt, which always pairs well with granola, and I was in heaven. I also made these great cookies:

Chewy Maple Pecan Granola Cookies

1 cup butter 
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 1/2 cups of Nature's Hand Maple Pecan Granola
1/2 cup pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350


Mix butter and sugar(s) together until well blended. Add adds and mix.
In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.
Add flour mixture to butter mixture.
Add granola and nuts.
Spoon onto baking sheets, space cookies well (they will spread). 
Bake for approximately 15 minutes.

My sister took these cookies to work for a potluck and every single person who tried them, LOVED them.  The granola provided great texture and flavor.

Of course you can also eat Nature's Hand Granola straight out of the bag as a snack, as an addition to your favorite trail mix, or if you're a cereal lover like my daughter, just add milk.

Nature's Hand Granola is such a great baking ingredient that I also used the Wild Blueberry variety in the topping on these blueberry muffins:

before baking

after baking

The result... delicious! You can get more recipe ideas from the Nature's Hand website. Be sure to visit their Facebook fan page and follow on Twitter too!

This is not a paid post. I received two free packages of Nature's Hand Granola for the purpose of this review. All views expressed are the opinion of Just Say I Told You So.

Review: Bryton Pick

The mouth is the main portal to the body. We take in oxygen, food, and water through our mouths; but we also ingest bacteria, viruses, and fungi (just to name a few of the unseen grotesque oral invaders).  That is why dental hygiene is so vitally important.  Did you know that there is a link between cardiovascular diseases and periodontal disease? That's right being a yuck mouth can break your heart, literally.

Aside from routinely brushing your teeth, you should also floss after every meal. Flossing helps remove decay-causing bacteria that can "linger between teeth where toothbrush bristles can't reach" (American Dental Association). The Bryton Pick is the green answer to dental floss!

The Bryton Pick is a portable and convenient way to stay on top of your oral hygiene, what's best is that the picks are reusable for up to 30 days, so you can take care of your teeth and lower your carbon footprint all at the same time!

Bryton Picks are made of thin, flexible, germ-resistant stainless steel and they come in a convenient carry-pouch, so you can keep them in your car, tote them in your purse, and stash them in your medicine cabinet. Since they're reusable (you can cleanse them with a napkin, tissue, or rinse with warm water), you don't have to worry about leaving pesky-stringy floss everywhere.

They're simple to use too, you just insert between your teeth, then slide them in and out.  When I first tried the Bryton Pick, it was a little awkward. I had trouble getting in between some of the tighter spaces. Although the stainless steel is flexible, I was a little afraid of injuring my gums. Of course the fear was all in my head because the edges are rounded to reduce the risk of injury (remember I am a bona fide over thinker).

I found that this little handy-dandy floss/toothpick is perfect, but I think I mostly love the fact it's green... every little bit counts!

You can buy Bryton Picks at http://www.brytonpick.com/index.htmland many online retailers.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.